Boating during Elite Tournament

[SAL man]

If they aint catching anything, rub up to them, throw a hand full of plastics in their boat and tell em that's what you are catchin them on, lol

Give them room, its their living

[Bill2e]

If the pros were given the option of having a fleet of boats follow them or not in the tournament, the majority would not want it. Just speaking what we know is true.

Of course, but if given the choice to fish for a living with fans or dig ditches with no fans they have all chosen to fish.

without fans they are fishing local club derby’s and no one will give a damn about them but their family.

[headhigh]

Get yourself a jersey that says "McScrubberson" across the back, and then track down Iconelli. He'll remember you.

[Roosterman]

If the pros were given the option of having a fleet of boats follow them or not in the tournament, the majority would not want it. Just speaking what we know is true.

Spent many many hours in the boats of the Elites over the years, and EVERY single one has talked about how they absolutely HATE for people to follow them around. Some have even gone way overboard just trying to lose all the spectators.

[av]

Stay off the water

[c rig]

Really you mean when a tournament is gone you wouldn't go fish the spots the pros caught em on if the conditions were the same? Lol seriously?

Absolutely not. Why would I? Why would you?

[grandbassslayer]

Absolutely not. Why would I? Why would you?

Perhaps to learn something??? Are the spots forever off limits? You can watch hours of archived bass footage to find spots and learn why they chose that area with the given conditions.

[skeeterator]

Spent many many hours in the boats of the Elites over the years, and EVERY single one has talked about how they absolutely HATE for people to follow them around. Some have even gone way overboard just trying to lose all the spectators.

But they all love the sponsorship dollars those same fans provide them.

[188Musky]

Perhaps to learn something??? Are the spots forever off limits? You can watch hours of archived bass footage to find spots and learn why they chose that area with the given conditions.

Please refer to post #45.

They are pros; once they discover and adopt a spot, it’s theirs to perpetuity, like a vein of gold in a hillside.

[Ranger Rod]

I assume this should have been in green type.

Please refer to post #45.

They are pros; once they discover and adopt a spot, it’s theirs to perpetuity, like a vein of gold in a hillside.

[grandbassslayer]

Please refer to post #45.

They are pros; once they discover and adopt a spot, it’s theirs to perpetuity, like a vein of gold in a hillside.

I think C-rig is fishing so to speak... if not he has a one of a kind opinion for sure.

[Roosterman]

But they all love the sponsorship dollars those same fans provide them.

Yep.

[mjlambert23]

Just take your binoculars, stay way back and watch them.
I would say stay way way clear of the landing they are using (Blastoff is no time to be navigating through spectator boats). And when they come in 2 minutes before check-in, they don't want to have to come off plane and navigate through the masses.
Leave guys plenty of room to exit pocket, creeks, bridges or coves. If they are leaving an area, keep your boat still. Don't make them guess what you will do. Don't even pull up your TM until after they have passed by (stand on the deck and don't get behind the wheel). This gives them the choice on what path they want to take (and they will be WFO).

Common courtesy, it's a few days on your home waters where you probably should not fish. You'll have the other 355 days a year to go back and whack em.

[MagicCraw]

staying off the water is the best thing to do IMO.. but if you do go, stay as far back as possible and dont fish. "BuT iTs PuBliC wAteR!"..relax.. these guys are legit fishing to live. unpuff your chest and go fish somewhere else. dont be an extra element or variable in a day already filled with a hundred.

[lucky13]

Pathetic.

Bingo

[Bill2e]

staying off the water is the best thing to do IMO.. but if you do go, stay as far back as possible and dont fish. "BuT iTs PuBliC wAteR!"..relax.. these guys are legit fishing to live. unpuff your chest and go fish somewhere else. dont be an extra element or variable in a day already filled with a hundred.

The OP planned his dream vacation to fish the St John's long before the Elites Planned the event.

I booked my place on the river last July - Long before the Elites planned their event.

So are you saying the OP should change his vacation and I need to stay off the water............

Not happening - I am certainly not going to ride up on ANYONE fishing, but i'll be on the water. I won't fish any spots I learned about from seeing the pros fish during the event, but I damn sure will the following weekend.

[Hoot]

Exactly, Hoot; you have to get real close if we want to grow the sport.

The sponsors want you in there tight enough to smell their bad breath.

Why Hail Yes!!! That is all part of "Living the Dream" if you don't want to be a part of the process don't wrap your boat up like a NASCAR Ride and prance around on the deck with a shirt with your name on the back that is just a smaller version of the boat wrap while wearing neon colored shoes that scream "Hey Look at Me"

Some poor guy takes his vacation just to watch his heroes up close and they don't want him around but then want him to spend his hard earned money on their sponsor's products.

[BassCatKev]

Unfortunately for me I am on the St. Johns river Feb. 1st thru the 8th. Had this vacation booked long before the Elite series schedule was posted. At least that was far as I knew otherwise I would of headed somewhere else. So Im going to be fishing right in the middle of this practice and tourney. Going to try to get away from any Elites but good luck to me. This was a bucket list thing Ive always wanted to do which was to go to Florida but now Im wondering what Ive gotten myself into. Got a cottage and a dock on the water and really don't want to get in anybody's way but I guess Ill do my best not to interfere.

It's a big waterway. You may not see a single one of them all week.

[mean_dean]

I say go out, find fish, and have fun fishing them, don't worry about the pros. If one of them happens to come up on you and the spot you are fishing then make a decision based on his attitude if he asks you if he can have the spot, maybe offer to share the spot as you might learn something.

Remember they have a no info rule so you could say something to them, "hey this spot is loaded and you should throw a crankbait", they will have to leave the area or risk DQ for receiving information.

They don't own the water so don't let them ruin your trip, go fish and relax.

[ScottOz]

Just go have fun, Stay back, Stay out of the way. Don't fish there spots. Some will interact with you. Some will not. Attachment 391632 Brandon Palaniuk giving my son and I a high five.